Manifold for a hydraulic vibration generating device or hydraulic motor

ABSTRACT

A hydraulic vibration generation device or hydraulic motor is provided. The device includes a manifold having an inner volume with a pressure chamber extending into the inner volume, a fluid inlet orifice and a fluid outlet orifice. The device further includes a vibration generating member having a grooved drive and an off-center weight and retaining plates. The inner volume receives the vibration generating member within the inner volume. The vibration generating member rotates and generates vibration in response to hydraulic fluid flowing into the manifold through the inlet orifice and directed through the pressure chamber, relieves pressure upon exiting the pressure chamber and out of the manifold through the outlet orifice. Also provided a hydraulic motor with a same manifold and pressure chamber, but with a power generating member having the same groove drive without and off-center weight. Rotation of the power generating member generates power.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Technical Field

This invention relates generally to a vibration generating device orhydraulic motor, and more particularly to a manifold for use with avibration generating device or hydraulic motor.

State of the Art

There are several material processing products that utilize vibrationduring operation, such as, but not limited to screening of materialimplementations. Other devices also utilize vibratory devices in theoperation and utilization. These devices are generally electromechanicalor mechanical system. They include gears and other components that areprone to failure.

Further, there are also several material processing products as well asother types of products that utilize motors. These motors are generallyelectromechanical systems that operate by drawing power from a powersource to drive an external component. There are limitations, includinglimitations on the access to or supply of power from power sources andcomponents that are prone to failure.

Therefore, there is a need for an improved manifold for use with ahydraulic vibration generating device or a hydraulic motor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a hydraulic vibration generation devicecomprising: a manifold comprising a fluid inlet orifice; a fluid outletorifice; and an inner volume, wherein the inner volume is defined by acylindrical surface with a diameter; a vibration generating membercoupled within the inner volume of the manifold, wherein the vibrationgenerating member is a shaft having a diameter that is smaller than thediameter of the cylindrical surface of the manifold forming a gapbetween the cylindrical surface and the vibration generating member,wherein the vibration generating member further comprises: a grooveddrive comprising a plurality of recessed grooves formed in an outersurface of the vibration generating member, wherein the recessed groovesof the plurality of recessed grooves are evenly spaced around thecircumference of the vibration generating member; and a pressure chamberformed in the manifold, the pressure chamber comprising: a protrusionextending from the cylindrical surface with the inlet orifice extendsthrough the protrusion into the inner volume; a pressure channel formedin the protrusion, the pressure channel overlapping the inlet orificeand extends along a length of the protrusion below the inlet orifice;and a seal portion above the inlet orifice and on either side of thepressure channel, wherein the pressure chamber is defined by the channelon four sides, the grooved drive on a fifth side with an exit located ata lower end of the channel, wherein: the inner volume receives thevibration generating member within the inner volume locating the grooveddrive adjacent the pressure channel such flow of hydraulic oil isinhibited between the vibration generating member and the seal portion;and the vibration generating member rotates and generates vibration inresponse to hydraulic oil flowing into the pressure chamber of themanifold through the inlet orifice, through the pressure chamberengaging the grooved drive to rotate the vibration generating member,out of the pressure chamber and pressure is relieved as the hydraulicoil flows into the gap, and out of the inner volume through the outletorifice.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present inventionwill be apparent from the following more detailed description of theparticular embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present invention may be derived byreferring to the detailed description and claims when considered inconnection with the Figures, wherein like reference numbers refer tosimilar items throughout the Figures, and:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hydraulic vibration generating deviceaccording to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a manifold and a vibration generatingmember of a hydraulic vibration generating device according to anembodiment;

FIG. 3A is a perspective exploded view of a hydraulic vibrationgenerating device according to an embodiment;

FIG. 3B is a perspective exploded view of a hydraulic motor according toan embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a manifold for use with a hydraulicvibration generating device according to an embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a manifold for use with a hydraulicvibration generating device according to an embodiment;

FIG. 6A is a side view of a manifold for use with a hydraulic vibrationgenerating device according to an embodiment;

FIG. 6B is a side view of a manifold for use with a hydraulic vibrationgenerating device according to an embodiment;

FIG. 7A is a section view of a manifold for use with a hydraulicvibration generating device according to an embodiment; and

FIG. 7B is a section view of a manifold for use with a hydraulic motoraccording to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to ahydraulic driven vibration generating device.

Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1-7B depict an embodiment of ahydraulic driven vibration generating device 10. The device 10 generallycomprises a manifold 12, retaining plates 20, and a vibration generatingmember 30, wherein the vibration generating member 30 is retained withinthe manifold 12 by coupling the retaining plates 20 to the manifold 12.

The manifold 12 may be a block shape or other shape that is needed forthe operation of the vibration generating device 10. The manifold 12 maycomprise an inner volume 14 that may be defined by a cylindrical surface11 with a diameter forming an aperture extending through the manifold12, wherein the aperture may be bounded on each end by coupling theretaining plates 20 on opposing side of the manifold 12. The manifold 12may also comprise an inlet orifice 13 and an outlet orifice 15. Thisallows hydraulic fluid to flow into the manifold 12 through the inletorifice 13 and into the inner volume 14 to engage and rotate thevibration generating member 30, and then out through the outlet orifice15. The outlet orifice 15 has a larger opening to the inner volume 14than the inlet orifice 13 in order to remove fluid from the inner volumeas quickly as possible. An inlet hose adapter (not shown) may be coupledbetween the inlet orifice 13 and an inlet hose and an outlet hoseadapter (not shown) may be coupled between the outlet orifice 15 and anoutlet hose, thereby allowing a fluid inlet hose and a fluid outlet hoseto be coupled to the manifold 12 for operation of the device 10. Theinlet orifice 13 and the outlet orifice 15 may be at any angle throughthe manifold 12 to accomplish the flow of hydraulic oil into and out ofthe manifold 12.

In further embodiments, the inlet orifice 13 may comprise a reducediameter portion 17 extends between the inlet orifice 13 the innervolume 14 of the manifold 12. This reduction of diameter may operate toincrease the pressure of the hydraulic fluid engaging the vibrationgenerating member 30.

The vibration generating member 30, formed as a spool, may comprise ashaft 34 having voids 32 formed or cut into a portion or portions of theshaft 34. These voids 32 may be covered by cover plates 35 that arecoupled on opposing side of the vibration generating member 30. Thevoids 32 reduce weight on one side of the shaft 34 thereby creating aweighted side of the shaft 34, wherein the center of gravity is offsetfrom the axis and is located toward the weighted side of the shaft 34and not on the axis of the shaft, thereby making the weight“off-center”. The shaft 34 of the vibration generating member 30 isrotatable within the inner volume 14 of the manifold 12. The rotation ofthe shaft 34 with the off-center weight or offset center of gravityresults in vibration of the manifold 12. As shown in FIG. 7A, thediameter of the shaft 34 is smaller than the diameter of the innervolume 14 of the forming a gap 50 between the vibration generatingmember 30 and the inner volume 14.

The vibration generating member 30, formed as a spool, comprises agrooved drive 36 formed in the outer surface of the shaft 34 around acircumference of the shaft 34. The grooved drive 36 comprises aplurality of grooves 38 formed in the outer surface of the shaft 34 andare evenly spaced around the circumference of the shaft 34, such thathydraulic fluid may engage the grooves 38 to rotate the shaft 34.

The manifold 12 comprises a pressure chamber 40. The pressure chamber 40may comprise a protrusion 42 extending into the inner volume 14 from thecylindrical surface 11 of the inner volume 14. The protrusion 42 may becurved and may have a thickness that is slightly smaller than the gap50. The inlet orifice 13 may extend through the protrusion of thepressure chamber 40. The pressure chamber 40 may further comprise apressure channel 44 formed in the protrusion 42. An upper end 43 of thepressure channel 44 is located in a position that overlaps the inletorifice 13 between the lower end 17 and the upper end 19 of the inletorifice 13 without extending past the upper end 19. The pressure channel44 then extends past the lower end 17 until the end of the protrusion 42forming a lower end 45 of the pressure channel 44. The pressure channel44 forms side walls 48 and the length of the side walls 48 may be equalalong the length of the pressure channel 44.

A portion of the protrusion extends above the upper end 19 of the inletorifice 13, wherein the portion that extends above the upper end 19 ofthe inlet orifice and portions of the protrusion 42 on either side ofthe pressure channel 44 form a seal portion 49. The seal portion 49 doesnot include the pressure channel 44 and operates to form a space betweenthe seal portion 49 and the shaft 34 that is small enough to inhibithydraulic oil from traveling up and around the shaft 34 in a directionopposite of the direction of rotation of the shaft 34. In at least thisway, the thickness of the protrusion is slightly smaller than the gap50. This results in reduction of pressure in a direction opposing thedirection of rotation of the shaft 34 and allows the shaft 34 to rotatein the proper direction more easily than if the seal portion 49 did notexist. The pressure channel 44 and seal portion 49 forms the pressurechamber 40 between the groove drive 36 of the shaft 34 and the pressurechannel 44, thereby ensuring that the pressure being produced by pumpingof hydraulic oil into the inlet orifice 13 is located within the spacebound on four sides by the pressure channel 44 and on a fifth side bythe groove drive 36 of the shaft 34, with only one exit from thehydraulic oil, the exit located at the lower end 45 of the pressurechannel 44. Upon exiting the pressure chamber 44, the hydraulic oil maybe dispersed into the gap 50 and flow out of the manifold 12 through theoutlet orifice. This pressure chamber 40 operates to reduce pressureacting on the shaft 34 in a direction opposite the direction ofrotation, thereby adding efficiency and increased performance of thevibration generating member 30.

Without the pressure chamber 40, the block pressure fights against therotation of the shaft 34 and prevents the shaft 34 from rotating,particularly when the system and hydraulic oil is cold. With thepressure chamber 40, the block pressure is reduced the essentially allof the reduction of block pressure is recovered in the pressure chamber40 and directed in the path of least resistance through the pressurechannel 44 to engage the grooved drive 36 of the shaft 34.

The length of the protrusion 42 may have varying lengths. Inembodiments, the sealing portion 49 of the protrusion extending abovethe upper end 19 of the inlet orifice 13 may be at least as long as thelength of the at least one groove 38 and the length of the protrusionextend below the lower end 17 of the inlet orifice may be at least aslong as at least two grooves 38, as shown in FIGS. 4, 6A and 7 .However, various lengths of protrusions 42 may be utilized, such asshown in FIG. 6B, and the length may extend between the inlet orifice 13and the outlet orifice 15 in the direction of rotation. Additionally, inembodiments, a width 46 of the pressure channel 44 may be equal to orless than a width 37 of the grooves 38 of the groove drive 36 of theshaft 34.

In operation, hydraulic oil is flowed into the inlet orifice 13 andengages the grooves 38 of the groove drive 36 of the shaft 34 of thevibration generating member 30. The hydraulic oil engages the grooves 38within the pressure chamber, wherein the pressure of the hydraulic oil,because of the small pace between the groove rive 36 and the pressurechannel 44, is higher than the pressure within the gap 50 and operatesto rotate the vibration generating member 30 in a direction of rotationtoward the outlet orifice 15. As the hydraulic oil travels through thepressure channel 44 rotating the shaft 34, the hydraulic oil exits thepressure chamber 40 as the lower end 45 of the pressure channel 44 andthe pressure is relieved into the gap and the hydraulic oil can thenexit the inner volume 14 of the manifold 12 through the outlet orifice15. The rotation of the vibration generating device 13 creates vibrationthat can be utilized in various applications.

The manifold 12 may have various apertures and recesses that areutilized to couple the retaining plate 20 to the manifold and for use ofcouplers to couple the manifold 12 to an external device to vibrate.While these apertures and recesses are shown, they are only forexemplary purposes and should not be considered a limitation, but simplyas one way that certain components of a hydraulic vibration generatingdevice 10 may be coupled together. Other forms of coupling componentstogether are contemplated and may be used without departing from thescope of the invention and claims. Further, the manifold 12 is depictedas a unitary body member. It will be understood that the manifold 12 maycomprise at least two portions that may be coupled together to form themanifold 12.

In another embodiment, shown in FIGS. 3B and 7B the vibration generatingmember 30 is replaced with a power generating member 130, formed as aspool, that comprises a solid shaft 134 and operates as a motor and canbe coupled to an external device to supply power. The power generatingmember 130, formed as a spool, comprises a grooved drive 136 formed inthe outer surface of the shaft 134 around a circumference of the shaft134. The grooved drive 136 comprises a plurality of grooves 138 formedin the outer surface of the shaft 134 and are evenly spaced around thecircumference of the shaft 134, such that hydraulic fluid may engage thegrooves 138 to rotate the shaft 134 to generate power, such as through adrive shaft to supply power operate an external device. The operation ofthe manifold 12 with the pressure chamber 40 is the same in a hydraulicmotor as it is with vibration generating device wherein the powergenerating member 130 is the same as the vibration generating member 30without the off center weight. This means method of operating ahydraulic motor with the manifold 12 is the same as the method ofoperating a hydraulic vibration generation device 30 with the manifold12.

The embodiments and examples set forth herein were presented in order tobest explain the present invention and its practical application and tothereby enable those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use theinvention. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognizethat the foregoing description and examples have been presented for thepurposes of illustration and example only. The description as set forthis not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to theprecise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possiblein light of the teachings above without departing from the spirit andscope of the forthcoming claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method of operation of a hydraulicvibration generation device, the method comprising: providing a manifoldcomprising a fluid inlet orifice, a fluid outlet orifice, an innervolume defined by a cylindrical surface, and a pressure chamber withinthe inner volume, the pressure chamber comprising: a protrusionextending from the cylindrical surface with the fluid inlet orificeextends through the protrusion into the inner volume; a pressure channelformed in the protrusion, the pressure channel overlapping the fluidinlet orifice and extends along a length of the protrusion below thefluid inlet orifice; and a seal portion formed above the fluid inletorifice and on either side of the pressure channel; providing avibration generating member within the inner volume of the manifold;flowing hydraulic oil into the manifold through the fluid inlet orificeand into the pressure chamber; directing the hydraulic oil through thepressure chamber to engage the vibration generating member to rotate thevibration generating member to generate vibration; and flowing hydraulicoil from the pressure chamber and out of the manifold through the fluidoutlet orifice.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydraulicvibration generation device further comprises: the cylindrical surfacehaving a diameter; the vibration generating member is a shaft having adiameter that is smaller than the diameter of the cylindrical surface ofthe manifold forming a gap between the cylindrical surface and thevibration generating member, wherein the vibration generating memberfurther comprises: a grooved drive comprising a plurality of recessedgrooves formed in an outer surface of the vibration generating member,wherein the recessed grooves of the plurality of recessed grooves areevenly spaced around the circumference of the vibration generatingmember wherein the inner volume receives the vibration generating memberwithin the inner volume locating the grooved drive adjacent the pressurechannel such that flow of hydraulic oil is inhibited between thevibration generating member and the seal portion and directed throughthe pressure channel while engaging the grooved drive.
 3. The method ofclaim 2, wherein directing the hydraulic oil through the pressurechamber to engage the vibration generating member to rotate thevibration generating member to generate vibration comprises flowinghydraulic oil through the fluid inlet orifice and into the pressurechannel, through the pressure channel engaging the grooved drive torotate the vibration generating member, and out of the pressure channelwhere pressure is relieved as the hydraulic oil flows into the gap. 4.The method of claim 3, wherein the protrusion of the pressure chambercomprises any length between the fluid inlet orifice and the fluidoutlet orifice.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the pressure channelcomprises a width.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein a width of theplurality of recessed grooves of the grooved drive is equal to orsmaller than the width of the pressure channel.